Dinner with Friends

Sale Time. It Conveniently Rolls Around Twice a Year

And my sickness rears its well dressed head...

I got to sneak into Barney's while dressed for work. Being on or near 57th St and Madison Ave in a suit and heels during the week always gives me much pleasure. And it's the beginning the important designer sales!! I picked out two pairs of shoes-one a Prada grey patent leather pointy pump and one a wacky glorious Miu Miu shoe that could not be described so I have helpfully supplies this photo for your viewing pleasure... Think severely cut narrow black sheath and these beauties!!

  

 

 

 

 

Getting Dressed for Dita (or DITA VON TEESE Part 2)

When I F-I-N-A-L-L-Y got home that Friday afternoon (it didn’t really take any longer, just felt like it did, I thought I could swim faster than the ferry but that would have ruined my newly blow-dried hair). I grabbed my silver sequined dress and slipped it over my head.  I was thinking head to toe silver. I tried on the first necklace but the rhinestones were the wrong shade for the sequins of the dress. The second necklace was the wrong shape for dress' neckline. I decided to go with just earrings so I put on these.

 
 

 Then I pulled out all my evening bags. We chose the ombre bugle beaded (silver to black).

 

I knew I would wear my silver YSL cage shoes so that was easy.

 

I twisted my hair into a loose chignon with lots of wispy ends hanging out. Then I tried one more accessory. My tiara. I sashayed into the bedroom where my husband was watching TV. He immediately said, "NO!" It was too much-all diamonds and pearls with the silver sequins. I argued but knew he was right. I just wanted to wear it.  I put it back in the armoire. Sigh...I was ready.

Then I was faced with walking out my suburban front door into brilliant sunshine at 5:00 pm. Honestly, I could not deal with plaid shirted neighbors mowing the lawn asking me where I was going-it would have taken some of the joy out of it for me. I put on a coat. (I was glad too, it got cooler out later on).

 

 

I drove to my GBF's apartment he was positively marvelous in said tuxedo jacket, skinny skinny jeans, a vest (no shirt) and ropes of pearls mixed with chains and rhinestone lapel clips (we are Chanel addicted flapper twins after all).

 

We met another of his friends there who was in drag and looked spectacular. He wore a green sequined V-necked long sleeve cummerbund waisted pencil dress with gold shoes and gloves plus a tres charmant pillbox feathered confection of a hat that he made himself!!  He brought two friends with him.  We arrived at 6:30, when it was supposed to start and there was not a soul there! Not even the talent!  We hung around chatting up the door people for a little while. The boys wanted cocktails. We told the door ladies and went to the corner cafe. It was a suburban looking desert southwest kind of place, not one that would normally appeal to my GBF and me but was only steps away from our event. Our little group, full of sequins and feathers and diamonds and pearls made quite the impression as we descended upon it. I got a secret kick out of that. We chatted and went back. Now there was a line. And new door people. They were counting and had lists. After more disorganized confusion we talked ourselves into the line that was actually going in!

 

It was a gorgeous party-in their most dramatic finery.  But Dita was the best accessory of all.

 

 

DITA VON TEESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Part 1

This is weeks overdue and I apologize-editing and work got in the way...

I have been in love with Dita Von Teese since I first saw her at an Academy Awards ceremony when she was married to Marilyn Manson. At that moment I had no idea who she was but my husband knew she shopped at Barney's. I asked my ex-gay husband too and  Googled her to find out she was burlesque star. I was intrigued. And in love.  She is exquisite and elegant and wears couture, she's often seen in the "front row". 

My glam BF has known of my love for some time and has been secretly (we don't keep secrets from each other but I've forgiven him this one) following her on Twitter for me, he wanted to surprise me with a performance date and tickets.  She has been beginning to perform in the US in the past few months so NY dates are coming (and when we asked her, she PROMISED). She will be performing in LA next week and my husband and I thought about it for a second but it wasn't enough notice for him to take off since he has Memorial Day weekend off. 

My GBF called on Friday. When he spoke, his voice was very serious, saying he had something serious to discuss, I was immediately concerned and asked what was wrong. He asked me what I was wearing and I was confused. How could it matter if there was something serious going on?  He "heard" my confusion and told me he felt certain that I looked gorgeous, though still confused, I began to describe my grey wool wide leg Donna Karan pants, grey charmeuse ruffled sleeveless crew neck top, and H & M double breasted bracelet sleeve shrunken jacket, ending with "it's a suit, basically". He then said, "Who have you been waiting to see forever"? And I knew instantly. Again, he could "hear" that I had guessed Dita and said, "do you think you could see Dita in that"?  When I remembered to breathe I said, "No!"  I wanted to put on Saint-Laurent or Chanel or something. And a hat and gloves. But no, my friend was saying something about 6:30-did that mean evening clothes? But at 6:30?  I just kept asking him over and over, "What are you wearing?" He was thinking a tuxedo jacket over ultra skinny jeans.  I ran around my office asking the opinion of the 30 year old fashionistas I'm friendly with and they confirmed for me-dramatic cocktail was the way to go. We both left our respective offices around 3 ran home and changed. 

The Theatre Bar, on Franklin St is beautiful.  Pink plaster walls with black framed mirrors, pink, cream, and red striped velvet banquets along all the walls. For this party they brought in tiny tables, covered with pale pink animal print tablecloths that sparkled with glitter upon which sat tiny glass lamps with pink shades. Pink feather boas circled the lamps finishing the ensemble.

As soon as we walked in, there were huge cameras filming our walk. Frankly, I am praying I am not on TV. But knowing I was about to meet Dita made it all worthwhile. It was actually a reality TV show taping and I do not like reality TV at all but for the perfectly beautiful Dita I made an exception. LOL. 

We had the bees knees of an evening!  An attractive man took my arm and asked me to sit on the banquette telling me he would compliment me all night long (good plan, huh???!!!) a wilde and crazy lesbian told me she was in love with me and undressing me with her eyes (oh, and did I mind that she said that-of course I didn't, a compliment is always welcome!), we met sisters from Florida, and journalists from MTV and costumed flappers with perfect red lips covered in glitter... All quite wonderful. We had some terrific cocktails and some awful ones (though mostly I just hold mine for flapper effect). Our favorite was blueberry, plum, Cointreau and vodka-and looked beautiful too. (Dita is the spokeswoman for Cointreau). I want to try to figure out how to make that at home now!

 Eventually we tore ourselves away. But do not despair-it was only because we had another party to go to!  We drove to Brooklyn where we danced and took more pictures... Had deep conversations that we actually remembered...we met more new people and caroused as flappers do.